Condensee of steam-engines



AM. PHOTO-LITRO. C0. N.Y. (OSBORNE'S PROCESS.)

NUNrrEn srAEs PATENT oEErcE.

`HENRY K. STEPHENS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

CONDENSER OF STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 3,366, dated December 4, 1843.

To all whom l? may concern Be it known that I, HENRY K. STEPHENS, ofCincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Condensers of Steam-Engines, whichimprovement is described as follows, reference being had to the annexeddrawings of the same, making part of this specification.A y

Figure l is an elevation of the condenser and heater. Fig. 2 is asection of ditto vertically through the center. Fig. 3 is a section atthe line (o o) of Fig. 1.

This improvement in the condensers of steam engines is intended for thefollowing purposes, first, to condense the steam after it has performedits duty in the cylinder and to return thewater of condensation to theboiler; second, to prevent the accumulation of mud and other deposits(from the water) in the boiler; third, to admit of the use of a numberof tubes in the boiler where they cannot be used (without thisimprovement) in consequence of the impurity of the water.

The above objects I accomplish by causing the steam to pass from theescape pipe, into a. cylindrical cubical, or any other formed vessel A,(made of copper or any other metal) the ends of which are perforatedwith small perforations, leaving a space in the center of the upper endto admit the escape pipe I3, through' all of the perforations metallictubes C, of the length of this vessel) extend through the correspondingperforations in the opposite end, and after their insertion theperforations are closed, around them to prevent leaking, leaving all thetubes entirely open at both ends to permit water to pass through them.This condenser is immersed in cold water, contained in a cistern D,which is supplied at or near the bottom, through a pipe E by a pump. Thesteam passes into the vessel containing the tubes, and is therecondensed, by coming in contact with the external surface of the tubesC, and the internal surface of the vessel, A, which contains them; thewaterof "condensation being conveyed from the conmade of any size, shapeand material to suit the views of the constructor, and either' 4whereasby my improvement the steam passes into the vessel containing the tubes,and is there condensed by coming in contact with the external surface ofthe tubes, and the internal surface of the vessel containing them. Thetubes, and vessel containing them, (being the condenser) are kept coldby the water in the 4cistern in which they are immersed.

The advantages of this improvement are as follows: First, that thecondenser canV be readily cleaned, (as only that part of its surfacewhich comes in contact with the condensing water requires cleaning).which may be done by running a brush, or swab through the tubes, andover the e'txernal surface of the vessel containing them, therebyremoving the sediment which will accumulate accordingly as the water`used for"A condensing is more or less turbid; therefore this is ofgreat advantage where only such 1s to be had for condensing; secondly,that the steam comes sooner in Contact with a` greater quantity ofcondensing surface, thereby effecting condensationmore suddenly.

A pipe H leading from the safety valve may be conducted into Ytheaforesaid condenserfor admittingthe steaniblown off from the boiler. 4 l

An air pipe I is added to the condenser for drawing off any air that maybe in it, said pipe being wound spirally around the outside thereof toallow the condensed vapor in the pipe: to flow back into the condenser.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-The tubular condenser in which the steam is admitted to circulate aroundthe tubes, while the water circulates through them, in combination withthe cistern of water surrounding the whole as herein described.

HENRY K. STEPHENS.

Witnesses:

WM. P. ELLIOT, ALBERT EUGENE JOHNSON.

